Chris Kaba died after he was shot by a Metropolitan Police officer (Inquest/PA)
(Picture: PA Media)The fatal shooting of Chris Kaba on September 5 in Kirkstall Gardens, Streatham Hill, London has sparked fear and anger across the UK.
Police have recently confirmed there was no gun, other than the police weapon, at the scene. A detailed search was completed following the shooting and no firearm was found in the vehicle or at the scene, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said.
Kaba was due to become a father and was engaged to fiancée Karima Waite. A criminal investigation into his death is under way, and hundreds marched calling for justice for the murdered man on Saturday September 10.
Here are all the details you need to know about the case.
What took place on September 5?
Kaba was driving a car in south London on Monday September 5 when the vehicle, which was later found to be registered to a different name, according to the IOPC, was picked up by an automatic number plate recognition camera for having recently been linked to a firearms incident.
Police officers say they pursued the vehicle, which was “subsequently cornered by two police cars” in Streatham Hill, said HuffPost. A specialist firearms officer then fired a single shot through the driver’s side of the windscreen, the police say.
The IOPC said that CPR was “immediately administered” and ambulance service support quickly requested. Kaba, who was 24, died later that night in hospital.
In a statement last week, his family said: “We are devastated; we need answers and we need accountability.
“We are worried that if Chris had not been black, he would have been arrested on Monday evening and not had his life cut short.”
It has become known that Kaba was expecting a child with Ms Waite, who described him as a “very kind, loving and caring young man”, said South London Press.
Jefferson Bosela, Kaba’s cousin and a spokesperson for the family, speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, said: “The family found out 11 hours [after he died], so his mum would have woken up and have gone to work not knowing that her son wasn’t alive any more.”
What has the Met Police said about the incident?
After the incident, the Met’s Assistant Commissioner Amanda Pearson said she “absolutely understands that this shooting is a matter of grave concern, particularly for our black communities”.
She added that firearms officers have a “difficult and often dangerous” job, claiming: “I don’t underestimate the impact on them of this development.”
On Monday September 12, it was reported that the officer responsible for firing the fatal shot had been suspended from front line duties.
“This decision has been reached following careful consideration of a number of factors, including the significant impact on public confidence, and in light of the Independent Office for Police Conduct announcing a homicide investigation,” Ms Pearson said.
Mr Bosela said the family welcomed the decision to suspend the officer, but added that the IOPC had been too slow to act.
“I think the second an investigation was opened he should have been suspended from there,” Mr Bosela said. “You know, it’s the fact that the IOPC are moving a bit too slow. First we wanted a criminal investigation opened and that took three to four days, and then we wanted the officer suspended and that took another two days. So it seems that there is no urgency in their dealings in this tragic matter.”
Mr Bosela added: “[The IOPC] have been extremely vague throughout the whole investigation, in terms of just very simple details … and when it comes to them explaining how long the investigation will take they’ve been just as vague. They’re not really being helpful and I think that has definitely caused a lot of upset not just for the family, but for the local community as well.”
London Mayor Sadiq Khan tweeted that he welcomed the decision, and said he is in regular contact with the police watchdog and the Met’s new commissioner, Sir Mark Rowley.
The IOPC – a body that examines complaints against the police in England and Wales – has launched a homicide investigation into Kaba’s death. It is looking into police footage and CCTV from the area, as well as following up on house-to-house inquiries.
The IOPC has also made it clear that the officer who killed Kaba being suspended does not mean “that they will end up facing criminal charges or a misconduct hearing”.
On Wednesday September 14 firearms officers threatened to hand in their guns after their colleague who fired the fatal shot was suspended.
The Metropolitan Police Federation, representing more than 30,000 police officers in London, said it was supporting a “brave firearms colleague and their family”.
It added in a statement posted to Twitter: “Being a firearms officer in London is one of the world’s toughest jobs.”
“Officers – volunteers – know the responsibility/accountability that comes with it and deserve our support. Ill-informed commentary from those in positions of power following any tragic incident is unwarranted.”
“The Metropolitan Police Federation is supporting a brave firearms colleague involved in a recent incident in south London – and we are also supporting their family. Our thoughts are with all affected.”
When did protests take place?
Hundreds of people marched on September 10, demanding justice for Kaba and black lives. The march began in Parliament Square and ended outside Scotland Yard. Kaba’s family were joined by supporters, as well as rapper Stormzy and several MPs including Labour’s Bell Ribeiro-Addy and Diane Abbott.
During a speech to the protesters, Stormzy said: “Everyone here today, I would encourage everyone to have stamina, and I know it’s a very difficult thing to say … But when these people do these things, they get away with it, because what happens is we do this once, we get tired, we tweet, we get tired, we do it for a week, we do it for two weeks, we do it for a month, and they know we get tired.”
“What they’ve done is they’ve killed someone. We can’t sugarcoat it.”
Abbott addressed demonstrators too, and said: “I don’t know how I would feel if it was my own son killed in cold blood.”
“[Chris] is not the only black man gunned down by the Metropolitan Police.”
Signs held up by protesters read “Justice for Chris Kaba” and “Black Lives Matter”.
Why was Sky News criticised?
Sky News has been heavily criticised after it incorrectly identified the demonstration as a gathering of mourners honouring the Queen after her death.
When an aerial shot showing the huge group appeared during its live coverage of the Queen’s death, an anchor described the scene by saying: “There are thousands of people lining that route, it really is an incredible sight.”
“They’ll work their way up the Mall, very slowly, meeting new friends along the way, talking about their journey here, their memories of the Queen, their good wishes for the new King.”
Sky News later clarified that the shot had shown a march for Kaba live on air.
A spokesperson told the i news outlet: “We apologise for a mistake made earlier today, which accidentally misidentified aerial pictures of a protest march for Chris Kaba as a large gathering paying tribute to Queen Elizabeth II.”
“We have also issued a correction on air to clarify the footage previously shown.”
It was also criticised, along with other news outlets, for delayed coverage on Chris Kaba’s death and were accused of prioritising coverage of the Queen’s death.
